Jerry Bill Hart, 80, of Granger, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 4th, 2020 at Taylor Hospice House. Jerry was born November 1, 1939 in Putnam County, Missouri to Paul Blaine and Olive Marie (Neagle) Hart. He grew up helping his dad farm their small farm in Missouri, and graduated from Livonia High School in Livonia, MO.
Many of you may know him as Bill, Uncle Bill or Grandpa Bill. Others only knew him as Jerry. We suppose this kept everyone guessing.
After graduating, Bill moved north to the big city of Des Moines where he got a job in the office at Pittsburg Des Moines Steel. Then he was a dock worker and truck driver for SuperValu Stores driving across the country for many years. He was then able to start farming his own piece of ground near Granger, in 1969 to present. Lately it was in the form of crop sharing. Throughout his farming and retirement years, a few truck driving and odd jobs helped keep him busy.
Bill enjoyed attending auctions and collecting many different items throughout his life. He was also an avid card player, playing Pitch, Pinochle, Cribbage, and Bridge. Bill was a great sports fan and an outdoorsman at heart. He attended many W-G basketball and softball games. He played on the local SuperValu softball team, and has played many rounds of golf, and games of pool. He enjoyed being outside either hunting, fishing, trapping, or mushroom hunting.
Bill also enjoyed having his grand kids and great grand kids come to visit. He was always a good one to make a face or wiggle his scalp to get the little ones to smile and giggle.
Bill is survived by his 3 children: Cindy (Bruce) Godbersen, Cleghorn, IA; Damon Hart, Des Moines, IA; Eric (Shelley) Hart, Boone, IA, his 5 grandsons: Scott (Desiree) Godbersen, Neosho, MO; Todd Godbersen, Hopkins, MN; Russ (Sara) Godbersen, Le Mars, IA; Jarod Hart, Boone, IA; Luccas Hart, Boone, IA, his 4 great-grandchildren: Kaylin Owens, Neosho, MO; Kaleb Godbersen, Neosho, MO; Teddy Godbersen, Le Mars, IA; Quinn Godbersen, Le Mars, IA. Also by 1 brother: Roger (Joan) Hart, Bucyrus, OH; 1 sister: Barbara Sue Hart, Florissant, MO.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Paul and Olive Hart, 1 brother: Pearl Blaine Hart, 3 sisters: infant Patsy Jo Hart, Ruthie and her husband Robert Brown, and Mary Fern Lewman.